Free Pass (Free Will Book 1) (4 page)

Chapter Nine

Waking up in Jake's arms was definitely something I could make a habit of. My alarm hadn't went off yet, so I burrowed deeper into his embrace and tried to go back to sleep. That stupid alarm went off way too soon though. He slapped at my nightstand, trying to make the blaring stop. With half-opened bleary eyes, he blinked at me. His lips turned up in a slight smile.

He looked drunk.

I couldn't contain the burst of laughter that exploded out of me. Not just giggles, no, full-on laughing. Like, oh crap, I might pee myself laughing. I rolled over him and darted into the bathroom.

When I came out, he sat up on the edge of my bed. Shirt still off. Hair standing up all over his head. The sexy five o'clock shadow I had been so fascinated with on the previous day could now be long enough to be considered a beard, I think. So damn sexy. I licked my lips and stared.

He smiled sleepily up at me, reaching out for me. I didn't take much coaxing. Heck, any coaxing. Hugging me close, he whispered, "Good morning." He nuzzled his face against my throat and sighed.

"So, what's your schedule like this week?"

We made plans to meet for dinner. He released me and stood. With a gentle hand, he tucked my hair back and pulled me close again. His lips brushed my forehead and I tried to drag him down for a real kiss. He pulled away with a growl, telling me if he truly kissed me he wouldn't make it to work. He left quickly, mumbling about not getting to work on time.

Kelsey waited in the living room as I stepped out of my room. Waiting for details. Dying for details. Details that I was not sure I wanted to share. "So? Who was that guy last night? He is Cu-ute! Where'd you meet him? I thought you was spending the weekend with Austin. Spill, girl!"

Like I thought, she wanted details.

She already knew Austin cheated on me, but I hadn't had a chance to tell her about his stupid free pass idea. She lost it when I said Jake was Austin's brother. Shaking with laughter, tears rolled down her face. "O-M-G. What a way to get back at him, sleeping with his brother! Girl, I never knew you had it in ya!"

Crap.

Everyone would think Jake was just a way to get revenge on Austin. And it's so not that at all. I glared at Kelsey until she got herself together so that I could talk to her. "I'm not seeing him just to get back at Austin. We have a real connection. I can't explain it."

She gave me a look that said,
'I don't believe you. But nice try.'

Screw her.

I stomped out of our apartment and headed to class. Lit at eight am on Monday, why did I think that was a good idea? Professor Moore lectured about themes in literature, but instead of taking notes, I started to doodle. An hour and a half later, I had three pages of bubble letters and such, saying
"Laney & Jake".
What the hell was wrong with me? What was I, fifteen? For goodness sake! We'd been together for two days and I doodled I love him?

Impossible.

I was in lust with him. That's all. Lust.

My day flew by. My thoughts kept returning to Jake. How could I concentrate knowing I got to kiss him again in a few hours? I left my American History class and had no clue what the lecture was over.

He'd asked me this morning to meet him at this little bistro downtown at six. I had a couple hours between history and when I needed to meet him, so I tried to get some study time in. A lot of the time, I stared blankly at my open text book with a sappy smile on my face, Jake in my thoughts. Wrapping my studying, okay non-studying, up with plenty of time to get ready for our first real date, I dressed up a little. Not too much since it's a pretty casual place, but I wanted to look nice.

I decided to wear this dressy top I got earlier in the year paired with some jeans that fit like a glove. I even put on makeup, which was a big deal. My friends teased me about being a tomboy, about how on earth a girl who rarely wore makeup ever caught a guy like Austin. But honestly, I'd never tried with Austin to
'catch him'
. Jake would be my first seduction.

Twisting in front of the mirror, I even impressed myself. I looked nice. I just hoped Jake agreed.

When I walked through the door at the bistro, I heard a groan. That intense hungry look on his face said he liked how I look alright. He pulled me into his arms, his lips on mine before he even greeted me.

"You look amazing," he whispered, his breathing uneven as he came up for air before kissing me again.

"You didn't shave," I said back, my hand brushing against the prickle of dark hair on his jaw. Why was facial hair such a turn-on now? But it was. I couldn't get enough!

"I didn't have time. Someone made me run late this morning." He winked at me and my heart fluttered.

"Don't shave. I kinda like it."
God, did I like it.

He nodded and pulled me closer. The hostess cleared her throat. She rolled her eyes when we finally acknowledged her and I cringed. She showed us to our table, clearly annoyed.

He helped me into my seat and held my hand. The hungry look in his eyes didn't diminish a lick once our food arrived.

We'd drove separate cars to the restaurant, so we had to leave separately too. He walked me to my car and reclined against it. Stepping between his legs, I leaned against his chest. The dark hair on his jawline begged me to kiss it. To feel its glorious texture beneath my lips.

"You wanna come over?" I asked, my lips still traveling along his jaw. Was I too bold? I didn't want to scare him off.

"Damn, I wish I could. I have that conference in Las Vegas, remember? My flight leaves at five am. I'm not going to get much sleep as it is."

Crap. He had mentioned the advertising conference that was taking him away from me until Thursday. Disappointment, thy name was work. I sighed before pulling him down for a kiss. It was nice, him not being a whole foot taller than me. At about six feet, Jake didn't tower over me like Austin.

Our lips met and I expected the Hallelujah Chorus. He gripped my hips, pulling me against him. I gasped when he tightened his grip. His tongue plunged into my mouth. The freshness of an after dinner mint mixed with what I'd come to think of as pure Jake. His taste intoxicated me and I couldn't get enough. I rose up on tiptoe, pressing against him. He tugged my shirt free of my jeans and slipped his hands underneath. The wind kicked up, whipping my hair and the light fabric of my shirt around us in a spirited dance.

"Hey buddy, take it somewhere private," a man's voice called from somewhere on the right. We broke apart laughing.

Jake waved at the guy and waited until he drove away before kissing me again. He kept the kisses light this time. Public place and all. But I could tell he wanted more, just as I did. It would not be long now. I wouldn't be able to resist him much longer. Oh, who was I kidding? If he would have come home with me tonight, I would've gotten him naked. And fast.

We eventually had to say goodbye. Getting in that car, knowing I went home alone, damn that was hard. As I drove away, all I could think was,
'I hope Thursday gets here fast'.

Chapter Ten

I'd never hated my job until today. Graphic design gave me a creative outlet that spoke to my artist soul. Most days I loved my job. A few clients made me long for a break, but I'd never all out hated it.

Until it took me away from Laney when I only had a limited time to win her over.

They called for my boarding group and I got on the plane. I took my seat and waited. With a fake stumble, the woman who'd be in the seat next to me for the next two hours fell into my lap. She managed to get a good feel in before she got up and into her seat with a giggle.

Great.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I just tipped right off my heels and couldn't catch myself in time."

"It's fine." It's not, but I don't want to be an all-out dick.

"I'm sure your wife wouldn't have been as forgiving, would she?" She blinked a lot.

Did she have something in her eye or what?

"My fiancée wouldn't like it, no."

"Aww, that's too bad. All the good guys are taken." She poked her bright red lips out in a pout.

And that's exactly why I said that even though I'm not engaged...
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the window.

Two weeks was such a short time. I had to make the most of it. With Laney's history with my brother, if I screwed this up, I'd never have another shot. I was damn lucky to have got this chance.

Two weeks to convince the woman of my dreams that I was the man of hers.

I was fucking screwed.

Chapter Eleven
 

Eyes still closed, I stretched lazily. No early class today. Jake was on a plane to Vegas for his conference. No reason at all for me to get out of my warm cozy bed.

My phone buzzed from the nightstand and I fumbled for it.

Austin: Breakfast? I miss your smile and licking your milk moustache.

What a dork! A part of me had missed him... I wished things hadn't turned out the way they did. Austin used to be one of my very best friends. My fingers shook as I texted him back.

Me: Twenty minutes.

He replied back with a smiley face.

Austin was waiting downstairs when I came out of my building. He opened the door for me and helped me sink down into his car. Where was this sweet guy before?

Breakfast was awkward. Seemed neither of us knew what to say. I mean, we'd dated for years, and now I was seeing his brother. It was just weird. We both focused on our food and ate quickly. When we went to leave, Austin grabbed the check.

"Austin, let me pay my half. It feels wrong letting you pay now." Maybe it's dumb, but I thought I should pay for my own since we broke up. He wouldn't let me though.

When we got back to his car, he tried to kiss me.
For real?
No way, idiot. I might have somehow got half-roped into this free pass idea, but I was not going see both of them at the same time. It wouldn't be right! I shoved him away and it pissed him off.

"What the hell, Laney? I can't even kiss my girlfriend?"

"In case you forgot, I'm not your girlfriend anymore." I would not compromise on this. Besides it just being wrong, I couldn't imagine kissing Austin again after knowing how wonderful Jake's lips felt on mine. I stalked away from his car. Forget that, forget him. I turned to walk back to my apartment. I didn't have to deal with more crap from Austin Davidson.

Following alongside me, Austin begged, "Laney, get back in the car. I won't try anything else." When traffic began to back up behind him, he finally had to give up and drive on. He pulled over at Starbucks and got out to try and convince me. He grabbed my arm and spun me around.

"Damn it, Austin. Get your hands off me. This was your stupid idea in the first place. Do you think this is some kind of joke for me?" My voice carried further than intended. Some woman coming out with a coffee snickered, and a man shot me a sympathetic glance. Great, once again we drew a crowd. What I loved more than
anything
, public attention.

"Just let me take you home. I won't try anything else. I'm sorry. I didn't think." He shrugged. "I just don't want to lose you."

Lose me? What the hell? He should have thought about that before he screwed around.
If he didn't make a habit of not thinking, we wouldn't be here. I glared at him for a minute to gauge his sincerity. He wouldn't hold my gaze and shifted under my scrutiny. Maybe he really was sorry. And I really didn't want to walk another ten blocks. The wind blew cold this morning, cutting through my thin sweater. Even though I was pissed, I wasn't pissed enough to keep me warm for ten blocks. My feet already throbbed from the stupid shoes I put on. I hadn't planned for a hike when I dressed. I agreed to let him drive me home, but didn’t speak to him the whole way. I stared out the window, arms crossed over my chest, trying to get warm.

He let me out in front of my building, without even turning the car off or saying goodbye. Guess he didn't want to piss me off anymore. Which was fine. I didn't want to talk to his stupid ass anyway.

I stomped inside and Kelsey asked me what's up. "What's up? Really? Do I want to be in the middle of a damn love triangle that belongs on one of those stupid soaps my mom likes to watch?"

Hell no. I don't even know how I let myself get into such a position.

Oh, right. Jake Davidson's wicked lips lured me there.

Jake's lips. Mmmm... He could not get back from Vegas fast enough. How on earth would I make it 'til Thursday without his kiss? Or his touch? I couldn't get enough of him and it's just a matter of time 'til I had every glorious inch of him. As hot as we were for each other, waiting didn't seem like a real possibility. Would the sex be as good as the kisses seemed to indicate?

My only experience came from Austin. Our first time was a disappointing mess. It was over faster than the time it took him to open a condom and get it on. He enjoyed it more than I did, for sure. While it did get some better, being with Austin was still... boring. Predictable. I mean, yeah, it's fine. But it's not all that.

Jake's kisses got me more worked up than actually being with Austin. Hell, thinking about Jake's kisses did more for me than being with Austin. That had to be a sign I wasn't meant to be with Austin.

Oh crap, Kelsey kept chattering at me. I didn't catch any of what she said. Mumbling that I had to get ready for class, I hurried into my room hoping I didn't commit myself to Kelsey for something by accident. Last time I got lost in a daydream around her, I ended up working a kissing booth at her sorority for a festival. Not my idea of fun. I hated crowds. And strangers. Add kissing strangers and well, saying I was miserable that day would be like the understatement of the year.

My phone buzzed again and startled me. I almost dropped it in my hurry to get out of my pocket. I hyperventilated for a second before I realized that it was only a text, not a call.

Jake: Good morning beautiful. I miss you more than words can express. I have plans for Thurs. evening, make sure you have a pretty dress.

A dress? My heart raced when I thought of the possibilities. Hmm. I could wear a pretty dress. A visit to the mall might be in order, but I'd do it to make him smile.

I managed to make it to my Psych class on time, but just barely. I'd spent too much time daydreaming. I was so ready for this semester to be over! Yet at the same time, unless I could find a summer job, I'd be heading back to Free Will to live with my parents for the summer. And Jake lived here in the city. I didn't want to leave him.

Oh wow... That's something I hadn't considered before. Leaving Jake for the summer? Finding a summer job? The electronics store I'd been working at cut their labor budget, so I hadn't had many hours the last few weeks. Only one shift, tomorrow, this week. I couldn't afford rent with that, so I'd have to try and find something full time for summer. If I wanted to stay in the city close to Jake...

Did I want that? God yes, I did. Austin would go home for the summer, as always. He didn't have a part time job. Scott and Martha gave him spending money though. My parents helped my Granny run a small bridal boutique. There wasn't a lot of extra money.  They struggled to pay my tuition and help me with room and board. I couldn't ask them for more. Wouldn't ask them for more.

Instead of searching for a dress, I spent the afternoon applying for summer jobs. It was a long shot, but I fired off a resume for a receptionist job at a psychiatry office. Couldn't hurt to try, right?

I called my Granny for our usual weekly chat. I'd almost stayed in Free Will to work at the boutique rather than come to the city for school, but Granny'd refused to let me. She didn't mention Jake, so I guess Mom hadn't told her. Wanting to keep it quiet until I figured out for myself what was going to come of it, I didn't mention him either. She fussed about my cousin's loser boyfriend and how she'd told Sheila that boy was no damn good. We ended the call with a good laugh about Sheila's new fake boobs.

Kelsey came in and we settled on the couch for an evening of chick flicks, entirely too much junk food, and a healthy dose of gossip.

"Can you believe Austin's dumbass tried to kiss me earlier? Ugh, he was all sweet and holding doors for me. I should have known he was up to something."

"He knows he done messed up. He's trying to get you back, girl. You aren't going to fall for it, are you?" Kelsey was appropriately outraged for me, slapping me with her Twizzlers to emphasize her words.

"No, I'm not that stupid. He cheated once, he'll cheat again, right?"

My phone buzzed loudly and I dropped it before I could answer. She laughed at my excitement when I picked it up and saw Jake’s name on the screen.

"Girl, you got it bad for that boy!" She teased as I fumbled with the buttons. She had no idea how bad.

Rushing into my room, I answered the phone with a breathless, "Hello."

"Uh, did I interrupt something?" His deep voice came through. God, I'd missed that voice.

"No, I was just in the living room with Kelsey. How's your conference?"

"Boring. I'd rather be there with you. Miss me?"

Had I missed him? Did a duck have feathers? "More than you can imagine! I can't wait 'til Thursday! Where are we going?"

He chuckled. "Unfortunately, you do have to wait. And where we're going is a surprise. Wear something nice though, okay?"

"I got that from the wear a pretty dress message. But where are we going?"

"You'll have to wait and see, beautiful. Crap, I have to go. My boss is waving me over. I'll try to call you tomorrow if I can. Bye."

"Bye."

It's amazing how a short conversation could be both a desperately needed treat and a torture at the same time. I could have rejoined Kelsey for the rest of the movie, but I cuddled up with the pillow Jake had used when he stayed. With my nose buried in the cotton, the faintest hint of Jake clung to the cloth.
Sigh.

He had turned me into a sappy mess.